Of course, the last minute purchase of a one-way ticket sets off the lights and buzzers for the TSA. So, I’m pulled out of the line and searched. First the full-body search. Then the luggage.
It didn’t occur to me that my latest research was going to get me into trouble. I’ve been thinking a lot about terrorism lately. Among the things I had in my carry-on was a detailed description of the 9/11 terrorists activities, replete with pictures of each of the terrorists and information about their background. As well as pages of my scribblings on terrorist incentives, potential targets, etc. It also was the first thing the screener pulled out of my bag. The previously cheery mood turned dark. Four TSA employees suddenly surrounded me. They didn’t seem very impressed with my explanation. When the boss arrived, one of the screener says, “He claims to be an economics professor who studies terrorism.”
They proceed to take every last item out of both my bags. It has been longer since I cleaned out my book bag then since I updated my personal web page (see the previous post). This is a book bag with 12 separate pockets, all of which are filled with junk.
“What is this?” the screener asks.
“It is a Monsters, Inc. lip gloss and key chain.” I respond.
And so it went for 30 minutes. Other than the lip gloss, he was particularly interested in my passport (luckily it was really mine), my powerpoint presentation, the random pills floating among the crevices of my bag (covered with lint and pencil lead from years in purgatory), and a beat-up book (”When Bad Things Happen to Good People.”)
Finally satisfied that I was playing for the home team, he allowed me to board a plane to Chicago. Thank God I left my copy of the terrorist handbook that I blogged about on June 9th at home, or I would have instead been flying straight to Cuba.
From 1 to 25 of 32 Comments
It’s an amusing read, I’m sure it wasn’t for you. But… ;)
— DomoSorry about your experience! I am flying in a week or two…better clean the book bag.
— rinijust commenting. Is there any part of this blog that doesn’t advertise for that book? what kind of econ blog is this anyway?
— AnonymousI’m sure everyone will write me off as a wacko.
Here’s what I have to say:
Mr. Levitt,
If you are doing thorough research, you’ll find many anomolies related to many of the terrorists / hijackers of 9/11. Further research will lead you to huge lies by the US Govt., Mainsteam Media, and 911 Commission Report.
You may want to check out a recently released book available thru Amazon called Sythetic Terrorism by Webster Tarpley.
— BGI had a similar experience at PHI 2 years ago. I study international security and was on my way to a conference. The reading material in my bag consisted of Pollack’s book on the (then) potential war with Iraq, numerous texts on terrorists, their strategies and tactics, and nuclear strategy. They also pulled a leather page holder from my bag (which I actually forgot was in there) and said it was a dual use object and that I could be held because of it–that was not a fun trip, let me tell you…
— Bill PettiOne of the central problems of law enforcement is that the enforcers don’t usually know who the guilty parties are. Because of this, enforcement imposes inconvience, opportunity costs, on the innocent.
These costs can be reduced by more sophisticated enforcement proceedures, but they can not be eliminated.
I personally like it when I am stopped for a weird shapped childs toy or too much medication. It shows me they are being careful.
— Waterbury/EconomicsOuch. I guess there should be some comfort in the fact that they finally did let you go.
Concerning your materials, there was a story on Morning Edition a few weeks (months?) ago about a library search that was set off by a similar misunderstanding.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4676707
— KurtUnfortunately, such is the world we live in today. Glad everything worked out for you in the end. That must have been frightening.
— Jamie BrockingtonI still remember once when I tried to fly with the Ionic Hair Wand — a strange looking contraption that makes your hair silkier and free of static. I had to give a personal demonstration of it’s function at the securities. I felt like I was starring in an innovative informercial “See, my hair is really softer and more managable!”
Isn’t it funny how odd, individually innocuous circumstances can coincide to make an innocent individual look really bad? Now imagine Levitt is not white, and shared a last name with somebody from the watchlist. Off to guantanamo, or perhaps just a spot of torture in Cuba.
— AngelicaUS Citizens, and anyone arrested on US soil, are not sent to Cuba. The only way Dr. Leavitt could have found himself flying to Cuba would be if the plane were hijacked.
— AnonymousAnd one is much likely to be tortured in the Cook County jail than anyone in (America’s part of) Cuba.
Torture isn’t being forced to wear a bra & panties. Torture would be things like anal rape, being baought and sold as someone’s b*tch, being beaten, etc.. All of that is routine in the Cook County jail, and goes without comment by those allegedy ‘outraged’ by the frat house hazing practiced at Gitmo.
— AnonymousWhat’s interesting to note is that while TSA officials can search and investigate individuals who seem to be carrying terrorist manuals or ostensible terrorist-like equipment, the real terrorist could be slipping by.
What good does it do to try to track down the obvious when the less than obvious is much more dangerous? Think about it. Would a terrorist walk around carrying a book entitled Terrorism for Dummies half think he could slip through the checkpoints? Of course not. Not surprisingly, he or she would make themselves as little as obvious as possible.
While I understand that the TSA officials were only doing their job and trying their best, maybe they should keep their eyes open for the less obvious terrorism. Tracking Harvard-educated economists who, lets be honest here, doesn’t even have the appearance of a dangerous guy doesn’t have the effect of making me feel safer.
— Jamie BrockingtonHaving gone through this during my recent European trip (one-way tickets, departure city didn’t match return city, etc), I can sympathize. At the same time, though, I think I’d be more upset if you didn’t raise any red flags on this trip. I’m pretty skeptical of most security procedures (what idiot terrorist is going to answer that he had not packed his bags himself), but in this case, they seem to have done right.
You were rightly flagged because of the One-Ways, searched, found with some provocative materials, then you gave a rather strange explanation (how many people who didn’t read Freakonomics would expect an econ prof to be researching terrorism?). After further examination, you were released. Inconvenient and annoying? Absolutely. But also reasonable.
Also: Jamie, I think there is a contradiction in your last sentence. It seems mutually exclusive to focus on ‘non-obvious’ terrorist threats on one hand while ignoring anyone who ‘doesn’t even have the appearance of a dangerous guy’ on the other.
— Independent GeorgeAnonymous re: Torture in Cook County Jail versus Gitmo.
Kind of makes you wonder why Dick Durbin was so upset about conditions at Gitmo, but has never once raised the issue of the substantially worse conditions at Cook County, in this home state of Illinois. Maybe Cook County complaints don’t get as much press.
— Jim VoigtIf you were flying all the way across the country they wouldn’t have let you go for sure.
— JamesProfessor Levitt:
I hope that your terrorist detection methods are somewhat more sophisticated than targeting individuals who buy one-way tickets. I assume that terrorists are not so stupid/frugal that they would take the chance of drawing attention to themselves by buying one-way tickets for their next airline escapade. I’m afraid it is passengers with round trip tickets who need special attention.
— AnonymousTo Anonymous (4:15)
“Is there any part of this blog that doesn’t advertise for that book? what kind of econ blog is this anyway?”
I enjoy reading this blog site, and the one of the endearing aspects of the site is that it seldom advertises “that book”.
— AnonymousDr. L - Bummer you didn’t have your grandmother with you or you both might be wearing those stylish jump suits right now…! But, hey, you get a free prayer rug out of the deal!
— Jay MarkanichGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston just fired a Palestinian-American baggage screener who, under the name Arabic Assassin, rapped about 9/11, bombs, and terrorism. See AP story by Pam Easton. Perhaps the wolves are guarding the flock.
— a reader in TexasIt seems to me that TSA acted appropriately.
— AnonymousRegarding Cook County jail and others: the response to complaints is the same. “So what, they deserve it,” or “maybe they’ll think twice about commiting a crime.” Liberals and reality based conservatives have long complained about prisons and jails in the US. Do you care? Further irony mimics Gitmo and GWOT detention facilities: there is little concern over guilt.
— AnonymousI agree, anonymous. Many, if not most, of the detainees in Gitmo are only guilty of being the wrong nationality at the wrong place at the wrong time. In addition, everyone has a right to a lawyer and a speedy trial. It says something about the times we are in that I even have to reiterate that.
Rini
— riniSometimes terrorists are stupid. They really do make stupid mistakes. That’s good. Sometimes cops are stupid too, and that’s bad.
— wkwillisYou just better hope their guys are stupider than our guys.
A few years ago, I was teaching English to HSBC employees in Buenos Aires. I was early for a class, so decided to sit in a small, outdoor plaza near my class. A police officer came by and asked me for ID. I told him I didn’t have any (who carries their passport around, and I was working illegaly, anyway). He radioed someone, and another guy came down asking questions. They asked to look in my bag, and I said sure. In the main part was my teaching material, in a side pocket was a copy of the book I was reading at the time (Rise and Fall of the 3rd Reich) as well as a new Time magazine, with a picture of some swastikas and Peron on the cover (the article was on Peron helping Nazis escape to Argentina). He didn’t look in that pocket. When I told my students what happened, they explained that HSBC had its offices in the same building as the Israeli Embassy. The embassy in Argentina had been bombed a couple of years before that, as well as a Jewish cultural center. Had they looked in that part of my bag, I’m sure I would have been in for a long, long day.
— Anonymous” In addition, everyone has a right to a lawyer and a speedy trial. ”
— Anonymousthere are limitiaitons to that:
i) you have to be a Citizen (costitution does not bind contractualy those who are not “We the people”)
ii) wrong nationality my ass. They are the right nationality for detention. Muslim. When I see a freshly shaven muslim youth with a backpack get on the Mannhatten bound train at rush hour I am not thinking about their constitutional right to a speedy trial if they kill me. What is worse : a few Gtimo bra and panty incidences or throwing bricks trough Muslim storefronts on atlantic avenue after using the kidd gloves on murderious terrorists?